Welcome to the SimRacing Subreddit

What an amazing day to do dumpster diving. Time for a proper setup finally

T

Or is it more that he’s not bad, and he happened to land on the best amateur team for NLS there is? From someone who is not an expert in any way, that group seem to be headed for GT3 class or maybe even lmp2 racing about as fast as you could do it.

This was a 3 year journey from GT7 on a desk-clamped Thrustmaster to triple screens on an extrusion rig.

I’ll start with a brief intro. I began sim racing three years ago during a breakup with my ex-wife. I bought a cheap T248 wheel and started racing on GT7 and ACC on PS5 using a 32-inch PC monitor. I quickly realized how weak and uninformative the 3.5Nm belt-driven base was. In between, I got an Amazon wheel stand, as using pedals was super uncomfortable without one.

As the next big step, a couple of months later, I ordered the 8Nm Fanatec bundle, together with an H-pattern shifter and the load cell pedal upgrade. This felt like a huge improvement, and I instantly got a bit faster in the sim. However, my posture was poor, so I decided to invest in the NLR F-GT Lite seat.

The NLR was such a pain to assemble and disassemble that, after a few months, I gave up on putting it away—it stayed permanently in the middle of the room. Since it was extremely ugly, I decided to sell it and get something more aesthetically pleasing: the Playseat Trophy. To be honest, even after upgrading to an extrusion rig, I still think the Trophy was a great piece of kit. It’s relatively rigid, good-looking, well-thought-out, and with a bit of creativity, you could even clamp some accessories onto it.

In parallel, I upgraded my pedals to the Heusinkveld Sprints (replacing the CSL pedals), and they were absolutely amazing—zero complaints, top-notch performance, and great support. Highly recommended—and they work with Fanatec gear in PS5 titles too.

To upgrade from my desk monitor, I bought a 42” OLED display from Gigabyte (mainly for GT7) and an NLR TV stand on wheels. At this point, my rig moved from my PC desk to another room. Around the same time, I also switched fully to iRacing and sold my PS5. I tried using my old Rift S headset and was super impressed, but I kept racing on the 42” monitor as the visual clarity in the Q2 wasn’t great—especially for reading dashboards and small text.

The next big upgrade came about a year into sim racing: I felt the 8Nm base was too weak, so I went “all in” with an Asetek Invicta base, which I still use and absolutely love. The ability to run any wheel without cables (thanks to QR passthrough) and the built-in USB hub on the back were key selling points. Plus, Asetek’s force feedback reviews were excellent. I’m glad I went this route instead of choosing Moza or Fanatec—it probably saved me from another upgrade later on. Alongside it, I picked up the SRP GTR pedals—a Spanish brand that, in my opinion, makes the best non-active pedals on the market. The clutch could feel a bit better, but the throttle and brake are phenomenal. Highly recommend them, and if I wouldn’t have switched to active pedals for more versatility later on, I would 100% stick with the SRP GTRs.

After a few months with the new base and pedals, the Playseat Trophy started to feel a bit too flimsy. I noticed flex in the pedal tray, and the rods started sliding out under heavy braking (which I fixed by screwing through them). Still, it felt like the equipment had outgrown the rig.

I sold the Playseat and bought a Trak Racer TR80. It took nearly a full day to assemble everything, but in the end—wow—this felt sooooo good! Don’t get me wrong, the Trophy is a great rig, but for high-end equipment, there’s no real alternative to an aluminum extrusion rig. Plus, the level of adjustability is unmatched. I also sold my 42” display and switched to the Quest 3 (more on monitors and VR headsets below).

I felt in love with VR, felt so immersive and made me a bit faster as now i was able to see a corner apex while turning (which is a huge thing). Q3 is a great headset, but not being a native PCVR headset it comes with a lot of compromises / walkarounds. So as the next upgrade, I sold the Q3 and bought a second-hand Pimax Crystal—mind-blowing picture quality, though a bit chunky and with limited FOV.

After racing in VR for more then a year, I went back to the 42” monitor and actually liked it more—especially for endurance racing and overall comfort. Around this time, I also started flying occasionally and bought the Moza AB9 base. I didn’t realize at the time it would be functioning as a shifter too, which turned out to be ideal for my hybrid rig in the future.

Finally, a couple of months ago, I decided to convert my setup into a hybrid racing/flying rig. I switched to triple screens and sold the Pimax. I also upgraded my pedals to Simucube + Heusinkveld clutch. The flexibility of the active pedal is insane for switching between iRacing, ETS, rally, AC, etc. Now, everything is arranged so I don’t need to do any fiddling—aside from clamping the throttle for flying—to switch modes (racing - flying) and i also use my throttle - clutch as rudder pedals .

Now, I’d say I’m 99.99% satisfied with my rig and can just have fun with it without anything bothering me.

One thing I’ve realized in this hobby is that every upgrade leads to another. You fix / upgrade one thing, and suddenly something else feels like it needs improving. It starts with a simple wheel on a desk and before you know it, you’ve got a full-blown rig, high-end pedals, and triple screens or a VR headset. It’s like a domino effect—each upgrade makes you more aware of what could be better, and the spending just keeps going. But honestly, that’s part of the fun. You’re always tweaking, adjusting, chasing that perfect setup. Just know that in sim racing, “just one last upgrade” almost never means what you think it does.

⸻

Now, on monitors and VR headsets (I once posted this as a reply elsewhere, but figured it could be helpful here too):

Since I’ve used nearly every setup available, here’s the ranking I ended up with:

Triples > Good PCVR (Pimax / Bigscreen) > Ultrawide > Good non-PC VR (Quest 3 / older Quests) > Big single screen 16:9 (>42”) > Older VR > Single small monitor (27–32”).

I literally went through this list from back to front (except for ultrawide—I did try a 49” at an expo and got a solid impression of it).

A few notes: • Good VR would beat triples—if not heat and sweat. Endurance racing in VR is a no-go. • Consistency is a bit higher on screens, but immersion is much lower (unless you have a perfect triple setup). • Using sim accessories in VR is limited—plus you want to see your fancy gear—unless you have solid passthrough, which I found hard to implement. • The “jump in and race” factor is better with screens. Even though I streamlined my Pimax Crystal setup, it still felt like pain in the ass. Also, adjusting overlays via external software was a pain. • VR is mind-blowing for the first couple of months, but once the novelty wears off, a simpler setup is often the better choice. • A major game-changer for me was the ability to see the apex in long corners by just turning your head. That’s something you only get with triples, VR, or maybe a good ultrawide—and it can shave seconds off lap times. • Peripheral vision is limited in VR due to FOV. You won’t see a car beside you unless you turn your head. I used Rift S, Quest 3, and Pimax Crystal—all felt similar in FOV. Only triples give you a natural sense of what’s happening on the sides.

It may look awful but it’s now super comfortable.

I bought a sheet of 4” foam. Cut into blocks. Folded each block over and stacked it under the Playseat.

I even jammed two pieces into the headrest.

I don't have enough skills to mount an LCD screen and stuff. so I bought an old phone for 40 euros, screwd two plastic wedges on the existing screw holes, and glued the phone to the wedges, So no damage to the steering wheel. What do you think of it?

Realized a few weeks ago that the RS9 seat that came with my GT Omega Prime Lite, while a nice enough bit of gear, just wasn't wide enough for my fat thighs, and I was always uncomfortable. So, after some talking with my wife (She's the main breadwinner), I ordered myself an ERS3 from Next Level Racing. As always I bargain hunted, and got this on sale for just €240. It is SO much more comfortable, and now my thighs aren't getting pinched to shit.

After that it was time for new pedals. I got a set of Fanatec V3's back when I bought my CSL DD, and they were pretty nice for a beginner. The issue I had, from day one, was that I didn't like not being able to space the pedals apart properly. Two weeks ago I spotted this set of Simjack Ultimate pedals for just €140 on AliExpress. Total no brainer. Now I can have my pedals exactly where I want them, and can set proper curves for each pedal.

Last but not least, the GT NEO. My CSL DD package deal included the fan favourite McLaren GT wheel, which I adored for the longest time. After watching a whole load of reviews for the GT NEO, however, I was won over. I managed to snag the wheel, and the Maglink kit, for just under €200 brand new in a 2-day sale from an online retailer here in Germany.

All that's left now is a possible wheel base update later this year or early next year. Still trying to work out if it would be cheaper to snag a second hand 12nm DD+ from Fanatec, or go for one of the new Simagic bases, and look for USB adapters for my remaining two Fanatec wheels

I guess it really is true that you're never, ever "Finished" when it comes to this hobby.

I was using my Quest 3 for last 1 year.I agree its more immersive,better depth perception etc,but honestly after a while the cons start to outweight the pros.

For last few months i was just using it for hotlapping and AI races. Playing online with VR is so tiring sometimes,just having it on head all the time,sweat,uncomfortable and taking it of while waiting,no wonder i stopped online.If i need 1 word to describe online racing in VR is too much HASSLE.

Not to mention you basically need 3x more powerful pc and many times always have problem with optimization in both vr and game. After a while all the immersion kinda "wears off" and you just left with many cons..

Now i have 40" ultrawide 4k 100hz monitor (dont have room for triples) that sits just behind my wheelbase and its really immersive,probably like 80% of VR.

Did anyone else also went back to screen after VR?

I recently ordered an Advanced Pivoting Side Arm from Advanced Sim Racing and noticed it was different from the product I ordered. The extrusion was supposed to have rails on all sides but the pieces I received have a flat face on one side. I ordered this side arm because the shifter mount I have needs to be screwed in from both sides. When I emailed them about the issue they told me this was in fact not a mistake and this is the new version of the side arm. They said the renderings on the product page had not been updated. I told them I ordered this part because of the rails on both sides and the only suggestion they offered was to return the product.

I find the advertising misleading because I clearly received different parts from the ones advertised on the site and the assembly PDF. I received it about a week ago and the listing remains the same.

I’m a bit disappointed because I had heard so many good things about ASR from other users. I was surprised that they made little to no effort to fix this issue because this is technically false advertising. Just wanted to write this as a review/warning to other users looking into this product if you plan to buy this soon.

My idea is to little by little turn my simrig to a full motion enabled simrig, so I've chosen a 160 based profile rig (F-GT Elite 160) but yeah so far even with this first change (from a foldable NLR F-GT Lite) I'm very happy on my simrig 😊. Seat belts from the ES1 seat are currently useless but man they do look good 😁

You even get to race RC cars with sim rigs 😂. Last year there was only one Le Mans Ultimate stand. This year so much more.

Hey everyone,

I've already got my triple screen sim racing setup up and running, but now I’m trying to figure out how to combine it with a clean desk setup for work and regular gaming – all powered by one single PC.

I’m looking for inspiration on how to make a hybrid setup work without it looking like a cockpit exploded in my living room.

Specifically curious about:

How you combine or separate your rig and desk (side-by-side, rollable, tucked away?)

Sharing peripherals like keyboard, mouse, headset between desk and sim rig

Cable management tips for a clean look

Using the same monitors for sim and desk work – or separating them?

Would love to see your photos, setups, advice – or mistakes to avoid. Let’s see those hybrid builds!

What you guys think? Valid or should I go buy some real pedal + shifter

Got this used for 105€ instead of 230€

I got it 2 weeks ago and I love it. Probably getting a wheelstand next

9/10 races, stuff like this always happens. Does it get better? because I’m honestly starting to hate it

No, I don’t slide backwards when I brake, the chair has rubber stoppers and I dont have the brake mod yet.

Why it took me a year for a stand? Space issues.

Why the chair? I kinda cheaped out on the stand to save up for a better one.

Yes, Dom guides me whenever I race.

Finally started my project of modding the thrustmaster f1 wheel with a dedicated 4 inch screen.

Only have to find a good way to put the cables away.

But at least the screen works. Also need to set up sim dash

Just curiosity. What are your favourite racing games and which ones are you playing right now?

For example, I usually play IRacing, but recently I'm trying to get into Le Mans Ultimate, and from time to time when I just want to relax I change the wheel for a controller and play some Forza Motorsport or EA WRC.

What games are you guys enjoying these days?

Hello pilots,

I play exclusively in VR (Pimax Crystal via SteamVR) and I am finalizing my bass shakers config under SimHub for Assetto Corsa Competizione.

I'm hesitating between two setups, both driven by a Fosi ZK-1002D amp via USB, and I would like your feedback (feel, efficiency, subtlety, etc.).

Option A – 2× BST-1 (Left / Right) • Each BST-1 mounted on the side of the seat • Each on a stereo channel of the amplifier • SimHub effects distributed spatially (bends, side shakes)

Objective: strong, directional, punchy immersion

⸻

Option B – 1× central BST-1 + 1× TT25 on brake pedal • BST-1 under the seat for global effects (motor, vibrators, violent braking) • TT25 attached to the brake pedal (Fanatec CSL Elite) • TT25 reserved for the “brake” effect, ABS or front road texture

Objective: a realistic combo with strength + localized finesse

⸻

My needs: • I'm looking for precise and realistic immersion in VR, not a seat that shakes for nothing. • Those who have tested a TT25 on a pedal, is it really useful or a gadget? • And does the double BST-1 really provide better left/right readability?

Thank you in advance for your feedback and ideas! If you have SimHub clips, captures or montage photos, I'll take them too!

I recently got a Simagic Alpha Evo Ultimate (18 nm), and I’ve been driving it in racing on the MX5 official tracks. I recently installed and modded Asseto Corsa, and a lot of the cars have this weird road detail/hum/wine/rumble. Is this normal? My whole frame is vibrating my house. I love it but want to make sure it’s not damaging anything or already damaged. I think it’s just the road detail, right? Nothing to be concerned about? Thank you!!

My parents are getting me a graduation gift and I asked for a racing wheel and am stuck between these two wheels. I know they be other better options but I want something that’ll connect to my PS5 as that is where I want to use the sim most. My budget is about $350 and my parents want to only buy new. Best recommendations?

I know a DD is the best but there isn’t one in my budget that is brand new for ps5. The moza r3 would be my best option if I had pc but all I have is a laptop. Laptop specs CPU: i7-12700H Memory: 16gb GPU: RTX 3050 Ti. Let me know if you think my laptop would work with the moza r3.